The Scottish herring fishing season is now underway with the vessel Lunar Bow having made her first landings of premium quality fish into Peterhead.
The Lunar Bow is targeting fish primarily for the discerning Dutch maatjes herring market, a highly prized local delicacy that has been an integral part of the tradition of The Netherlands for over 600 years. Maatjes is a premium, lightly brined product, consisting of the first, high-fat content summer-caught herring of the year. To be classed as maatjes, the herring must also have a rich stomach content.
In The Netherlands, maatjes herring are revered and special festivals are held to mark the start of the season.
The fishery for the rest of the Scottish herring fleet will commence from the end of July with landings destined for a range of markets, including Germany, Poland and the Baltic states, as well as the UK.
Scottish caught North Sea herring has carried the MSC ecolabel for its sustainability since 2008.
Ian Gatt, chairman of the Scottish Pelagic Sustainability Group, an industry organisation dedicated to ensuring the sustainability of herring and mackerel fisheries, said: “With the UK having to import over 40% of its food requirements, our indigenous fishing industry plays an important role in ensuring national food security.
“Much of our herring is exported and there is good potential to expand consumption in the home market, given that it is a tasty, nutritious and sustainably caught food.
“It be would great if the UK rediscovered its love of herring from the past when it was a formerly a fundamental staple for many households. Today, herring is available in so many different forms, including in marinades and as smoked herring or kippers. These oil-rich fish are also brilliant when fresh, and with the summer now upon us, herring is the perfect fish for the barbecue.”